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Leveraging NC HealthConnex to Combat Opioid Misuse

The state-designated health information exchange, NC HealthConnex, is working with the NC Department of Health and Human Services and Appriss Health to build a single sign on to the NC HealthConnex clinical portal utilizing the Appriss interface.

This integration will create an additional pathway for providers to access the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, NC CSRS (Controlled Substances Reporting System) and help combat the opioid epidemic in North Carolina. Per the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act of 2017, or the STOP Act (NCSL 2017-74), health care providers in North Carolina who prescribe controlled substances must access a patient report from the CSRS to verify a patient’s prescription fill history of controlled substances prior to writing prescriptions for targeted controlled substances.

This phase 1 integration allows the end user already accessing the longitudinal NC HealthConnex clinical portal to view the CSRS report along with the risk scores without leaving the HIE Portal. This simple process does not require the user to log into another system outside of the HIE portal and is integrated into the portal workflow. When the provider views the report, the system automatically records that into the audit logs, providing support for CSRS use requirements in the STOP Act. The anticipated delivery of this service is Quarter 1 of 2019.

Additional means to deliver the integration directly into NC HealthConnex participants’ workflow are also being explored for a phase 2 implementation which will be especially beneficial for participants whose electronic health records are not compatible with the Appriss interface.